What is a psychiatrist?

Psychiatry is the branch of medicine focused on the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental, emotional and behavioral disorders.

A psychiatrist is a medical doctor (an M.D. or D.O.) who specializes in mental health, including substance use disorders. Psychiatrists are qualified to assess both the mental and physical aspects of psychological problems.

People seek psychiatric help for many reasons. The problems can be sudden, such as a panic attack, frightening hallucinations, thoughts of suicide, or hearing “voices.” Or they may be more long-term, such as feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or anxiousness that never seem to lift or problems functioning, causing everyday life to feel distorted or out of control.

Why a Adult Psychiatric Program?

The General Adult Psychiatry Clinics provide diagnostic evaluation and treatment for a range of psychiatric disorders in adults, including bipolar and unipolar affective disorders, anxiety disorders, adjustment disorders, attentional disorders, personality disorders and some psychotic disorders. The general clinics provide medication management and limited psychotherapy, but can refer within the clinic for short and long term psychotherapy and neuropsychiatric testing

For patients experiencing a mental health crisis, the adult psychiatric team is ready to help them with treatment.